FORMER REID'S COFFEE PALACE

The Former Reid’s Coffee Palace, a three and four-storey Victorian Free Classical boom style building (interiors and exteriors), which presents as a two-storey building to Lydiard Street, with two storey verandah. 

The Former Reid’s Coffee Palace is of historical and architectural significance to the State of Victoria. It satisfies the following criterion for inclusion in the Victorian Heritage Register: 

Criterion A 

Importance to the course, or pattern, of Victoria’s cultural history. 

Criterion D 

Importance in demonstrating the principal characteristics of a class of cultural places/objects. 

The Former Reid’s Coffee Palace is of historical significance as a rare surviving example of a purpose-built nineteenth century coffee palace in regional Victoria. Built in two primary stages in 1886 and 1888, the Former Reid’s Coffee Palace reflects the growth of Australia’s Temperance Movement in the late nineteenth century, and the resulting construction of coffee palaces. [Criterion A] 

The Former Reid’s Coffee Palace is a notable example of a Classical boom style building reflected in its three and four-storey composition and double storey verandah with cast iron lacework. Internally the stairwell with its hand-painted murals on the ceiling and wall panels, its clearstory glazing and entrance arch is a particularly fine space. [Criterion D]